'This is not the time to judge': Meet the woman behind Babes, a support group for pregnant teens in Singapore

CNA

18-05-2025

Every year, Babes Pregnancy Crisis Support receives over 600 enquiries to its 24/7 telephone hotline and WhatsApp service. The organisation helps pregnant teens – the girls who get pregnant and the boys who got someone pregnant – navigate an unplanned pregnancy.
One of those calls was from Vanessa.
The young woman, who did not want to reveal her full name, was in her late teens when she found out she was pregnant. Her abusive boyfriend then tried to force her to get an abortion.
Even though she eventually found the courage to leave him, there were other struggles. She had a strained relationship with her mother, and having left school, found it difficult to find a job and support herself financially while pregnant.
She toyed with the idea of terminating the pregnancy, but when she heard her baby's heartbeat during her first ultrasound, she made a decision – she would raise her daughter.
Thankfully, she wasn't truly alone. After reaching out to a Family Service Centre, Vanessa was referred to Babes.
The organisation helped her prepare for childbirth, gave her essentials like a stroller, diapers, and a cot, and even helped her secure a job. Even now, her case worker continues to support the single mum as she raises her daughter.
It's stories like Vanessa's that keep Sophie Mathur going. As the chairperson of Babes, Mathur hears accounts like this almost daily from her team. It reminds her of why the work matters.
Babes started in 2005 under Beyond Social Services, a non-profit that supports children and youth from disadvantaged backgrounds in Singapore.
As it does now, the crisis support organisation served teens with unplanned pregnancies. They lend a hand to anyone relevant to the cause, whether it's the girl who got pregnant, the boy who discovers he made someone pregnant, or the concerned but lost parent who finds out their child is pregnant.
In 2013, Babes became an independent organisation. Mathur was appointed its chairperson in 2019, but she had long been a vocal advocate.
'This space is large but overlooked,' said Mathur, who is also a corporate partner at global law firm Linklaters. 'Not many people realise how many young women in Singapore face unplanned pregnancies and how hard it is to find support when they do.'
According to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority's 2022 report on births and deaths in Singapore, 218 babies were born to mothers aged 19 and younger. In comparison, 487 babies were born to this group in 2013.
A study by SingHealth in November 2024 found a 60 per cent increase in the number of Singapore women seeking abortion referrals at its eight polyclinics, between 2017 and 2020. Most of these women were under 20, and over 10 per cent were repeat referrals.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Babes Pregnancy Crisis Support (@babes_pregnancysupport)
'Babes provides support to teenage mums at every stage,' said Mathur, who is in her forties.
Its mission is to help pregnant teens and their families work towards the 'best possible future', whether it's choosing motherhood, terminating the pregnancy, or putting the baby up for adoption.
'From the moment she finds out she's pregnant and doesn't know what to do, to walking her through an abortion if she decides to have one, to when they've just given birth and are dealing with postpartum issues, to even if she has another unplanned pregnancy and changes her mind about keeping the baby.
'We even guide teenage boys who are so lost or anxious after knowing they got someone pregnant – we walk with them through it all.'
To do this, Babes operates on two main pillars.
'The first pillar is direct support,' Mathur told CNA Women. This includes the 24/7 helpline and WhatsApp service, as well as the dedicated work of full-time case workers and volunteers.
If a teen finds out she's pregnant or if he has made someone pregnant, they can reach out to Babes' 24/7 service. Helpline volunteers are trained to listen without judgement or criticism.
More importantly, they're there to guide the teen through different options so they can make informed decisions based on their situation.
Mathur highlighted the contributions of Spradha Sinha, Babes' lead helpline volunteer, who oversees a team of around 30 helpline volunteers. In all, they clock more than 1,000 hours of calls each year.
For her work in Babes, Sinha was a finalist in the 2023 Singapore Silent Heroes Awards, given by the Civilians Association (Singapore) to honour those who make unseen contributions to the community.
Case workers like Haslinda So'od and Fatimah Abdul Karim also play a key role in helping each pregnant teen navigate her unique circumstances, right down to the smallest detail, to help her feel safe, empowered and supported. That can include figuring out where to get affordable baby clothes and learning how to breastfeed.
'The second pillar focuses on upstream work,' Mathur said, referring to efforts like teen pregnancy prevention campaigns, and social media work that focuses on education surrounding relationships, contraception and decision-making.
In addition to talks at junior colleges and polytechnics, Babes also runs workshops with partners like the Girl Guides. On its office tours at local companies and at networking events, the girls get to meet people from various industries and hear their personal stories.
'The tours show the girls that despite any setback or growing up in difficult circumstances, there are different paths towards success and they can still build a meaningful future for themselves.'
Some fundraising efforts double as empowerment initiatives, including offering henna art services, or selling handcrafted items like candles, made by women who have used Babes' services, at markets like Boutique Fairs Singapore.
CATCHING YOUNG WOMEN WHO FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS
Mathur grew emotional when she shared why Babes matters so much to her. While some critics of the organisation may mean well, she believes their concerns are often misplaced and laced with judgement instead of compassion.
'When I had my first pregnancy, I was 38. It was twins, and I was terrified,' said Mathur. ' I had so many things – a stable job, financial security, a supportive husband and family, and I was so used to speaking with doctors who also respect me. So if I could feel scared, how must a teenage girl feel when she has none of that?'
That's why Babes exists, the mum of three said. Not to encourage teen pregnancy, but to support girls when they're at their most vulnerable.
Mathur said: 'What kind of society do you want to live in? Do we want to build one that's harsh and punishes us for every mistake we make? Or one that's more compassionate and picks us up when we're down?'
She noted that some teens only come to Babes after a second unplanned pregnancy, not because they didn't learn the first time, but because they had no support then.
'The deed is done, the girl is pregnant, and she needs help,' Mathur said. 'This is not the time to judge, it's the time to show up for her and her family.'
This is not the time to judge, it's the time to show up for her and her family.
'Teens are often misunderstood,' Mathur said. 'Their brains are still developing. When they, especially those at risk, act out or make poor decisions, we call them stupid or reckless – but many of them are already dealing with a lot.'
Whenever critics question why Babes is needed, Mathur remembers something Sinha shared with her.
'She told me, 'What if this were my daughter? These girls have nowhere to go, no one to turn to. So let me be that person for all of these girls, these daughters.'
Mathur added: 'I want to make sure these daughters are never alone.'
Mathur said her legal training has taught her to leave assumptions at the door. 'I don't walk into a situation thinking I know everything,' she said. 'And that's so important at Babes, where every girl and every family has their own story. You can't judge before you've even listened.'
It's why stories like Vanessa's move Mathur and allow her to learn more about the different challenges faced by young girls seeking help, especially after what seems to be a terrible mistake.
'The moment we hear of a teen, especially if that teen is someone we know, getting pregnant, we may think we know what's best for her,' Mathur said. 'But if I don't know the full story, how can I ever begin to know?'
'Working with these amazing women and men on the Babes team and learning about the dozens of girls we have the privilege to help – it personally makes me more empathetic, more grounded,' Mathur said.